For many people throughout the world this season means vacation times and long weekends, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the expected date, but for many others, the Holy Week has meaning for Christians even greater and deeper because it tells the biography of Jesus of Nazareth.
Catholics remember and celebrate the most relevant events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, (the Passion, Death and Resurrection) beginning on what is called Palm Sunday and ending on Resurrection Sunday or also called Easter; depending on the dates according to the Jewish Passover, so as not to commit confusion between the two religions.
Palm Sunday for Christians
The Palm Sunday It has a celebration in which the last acts of Jesus are celebrated. The faithful usually carry olive branches with them to be blessed by the celebrating Priest, carrying a great symbolism full of faith.
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Holy Monday for Christians
During the Holy Monday, the last acts of Jesus before his crucifixion are still remembered. In some towns and cities, large festivals and processions are held, attracting large numbers of worshipers from various regions. During Holy Tuesday we continue to reflect on the various passages that recall the life of Jesus, preparing for the most relevant days, in which the most important passages are commemorated, coming to an end with the Holy Wednesday.
Holy Thursday for Christians
The Holy Thursday is considered the first day of Paschal Triduum (the three days that celebrate the Passion, Death Y Resurrection of Jesus Christ). On this day the passage of the Last Supper of Jesus before being crucified, in which he presents the Eucharist, materialized as bread and wine, representing the flesh and blood of God.
Good Friday for Christians
During the Holy Fridayrecalls the crucifixion of jesus which took place on a mountain called Gólgotha (place of the skull in Aramaic) in the year 33, being one of the most relevant days of the Holy Week.
Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday for Christians
The Holy Saturday counts on the second eve of the resurrection, Jesus was already crucified, dead and buried. already arrived Sunday (Easter Sunday), Christians celebrate the return to life of Jesus, glorifying himself and appearing among his disciples numerous times. Two thousand years later, all Christians around the world remember these events, which completely changed human perception.
Currently, Holy Week is still celebrated in many countries, and even if you are not religious, the truth is that, especially if you are a child, you will enjoy a few days of rest without school or institute.
Easter celebrations around the world
As you may already guess, the ways of celebrating Holy Week or Easter can vary depending on the country, since each one has its own customs or particular rites. Here are some of the ways to celebrate Easter around the world:
Of course, one of the best cities to celebrate Easter is Jerusalem, the Holy City, where thousands of pilgrims gather every year to visit this place so sacred for Christians.
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The Philippines is another place on the planet where Easter is celebrated with special devotion, although in this case it is a type of devotion not suitable for the most sensitive. Numerous people try during this celebration to recreate the suffering of Jesus, so it is common to see people being whipped and even processions through the streets of crucified people.
A kinder custom is the one they have in USAwith its famous Easter eggssome eggs that can be decorated in the way that each one prefers, and that are the protagonists of the Ester Egg Hunt, the hunt for the Easter Egg, an outdoor celebration that is based on the search for hidden Easter eggs (of there also comes the origin of the term Easter Egg for the hidden secrets of video games).
In other places, such as Sweden, the tradition is quite different from that of “Latin” countries, and their Easter is more like Halloween than anything else. In this case, it is a very familiar celebration, in which it is also customary for children to go around the houses in disguise asking for sweets.
Lastly, in Brazil takes place burning of Judas. Indeed, one of the most popular traditions in Brazilian Holy Week consists of creating dolls representing Judas and burning them in the street as a symbol of punishment for the one who betrayed Jesus.
Traditions aside, there is a deep meaning that Easter brings us and that is often overlooked, just as it happens to us at Christmas. And it is that between parties, holidays and getaways, among a thousand other plans that we like to do, for people who live the purely religious feeling of these times, and even for those who do not, Holy Week should be a moment of reflection. Analyze how the world is going, and by this we mean the world that begins with ourselves and our closest environment, and then expands horizons and crosses borders.
It is useless to go out to see processions and attend mass, if we are not part of the needs that society has or the shortcomings of our neighbor and we get involved in it. Most of the world’s problems are motivated by a total lack of empathy and a very worrying lack of solidarity that should shame Christians and human beings in general. If we believe that Christ came into the world to save us, if we believe in Him and love Him, it is obligatory to feel not only pity, but above all concern that people have basic resources, company and protection.
We may think that it is up to the governments to satisfy the needs of the citizen, but this is only an excuse to excuse our lack of commitment. Holy Week goes beyond wearing your typical costume and doing penance in the middle of the crowd, or spending an afternoon or a morning listening to mass. It’s about feeling on a mission to help make the world a little better. And this is definitely everyone’s business.
We are often overlooked that we can always contribute our grain of sand so that life improves, not only ours, but that of those who cross our path. We are not talking about financial aid, but about countless ways to support a cause, to be part of progress and to give light to those who need it most. Experiencing Holy Week without making this reflection and, what is just as important, then taking action, makes no sense. That is the authentic Christian Holy Week that, as happens with Christmas, is lived, above all, in the heart.
Video about the meaning of Holy Week
There is no doubt that Holy Week is lived with more passion in some places than in others, especially in those where the Catholic religion is more deeply rooted. For example, everyone knows the fervor with which Holy Week is lived in Andalusia, for example, where processions and the great passion aroused by the steps of the virgins are famous.
In the following video we show you a documentary about Holy Week in Sevilleundoubtedly one of the most important celebrations within the city, and one of the cities in which Holy Week is lived with the most religious ardor:
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